Tottenham pursuing City forwards
Tottenham are reportedly in discussions with Manchester City regarding a potential double transfer for Savinho and Omar Marmoush. Reports on Wednesday indicated that Spurs are looking to sign Savinho, Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo, and a new centre-forward before the transfer deadline, with Marmoush also being considered as an option.
Talks between City and Spurs are understood to be advancing, though no agreement has been reached yet. Savinho is reportedly ready to join Tottenham. City, for their part, have identified targets to replace any departing players and aim to secure replacements with less than two weeks remaining in the transfer window.
Spurs are also awaiting Liverpool’s potential acquisition of Bradley Barcola and his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Ibrahim Mbaye before making a bid for Gakpo in addition to Savinho. If a deal for Gakpo does not materialise, Tottenham is believed to be prepared to pursue other targets, including Pedro Neto from Chelsea.
Squad strengthening and financial context
The potential deals for Savinho and Marmoush would contribute to an already active summer for Tottenham. The club has already committed a significant amount on Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Jan Paul van Hecke. Additionally, Spurs have brought in defenders Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson, and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on free transfers.
Savinho, a 22-year-old winger, was not included in Enzo Maresca’s squad for City’s Community Shield final defeat by Arsenal. Marmoush, 27, entered that match as a second-half substitute for Erling Haaland. Tottenham had previously pursued Savinho last summer, with discussions reported in August 2025 regarding a potential package with City.
City did not want to sell the Brazilian player at that time, who subsequently signed a new contract until 2031 in early October after the transfer window closed. Savinho played a limited role for City last season, starting seven Premier League games as Pep Guardiola’s team finished second and secured a domestic cup double. He joined City from French club Troyes and spent the 2023-24 season on loan at La Liga team Girona, where he contributed 11 goals and 10 assists, helping the club achieve a top-four finish and its first Champions League berth. Both Troyes and Girona are part of the City Football Group (CFG).
Marmoush started eight times in the Premier League last season, concluding the campaign with eight goals in 36 appearances. He then played five times for Egypt at the World Cup, where they reached the last 16. He joined City from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 after scoring 15 goals in 17 games for Eintracht before his move.
City’s transfer strategy
According to Ben Ransom, both Savinho and Marmoush are considered surplus to requirements at Manchester City. While Maresca has stated that both players are entitled to compete for their first-team spots, he also understands that if a player desires first-team football and is not guaranteed a starting position, the club would not hinder their departure if an acceptable offer is received. This applies to both players.
City would need to replace these players. It is suggested that they would definitely need to replace at least one, and ideally, they would aim to replace both. However, the transfer window is closing in less than a fortnight, making it challenging to fill such significant positions late in the window.
Tottenham’s interest in Savinho dates back to last summer following Thomas Frank’s appointment. Savinho is still seen as a versatile option for the squad, even with Roberto De Zerbi now in charge. Savinho would also be reunited with Xavi Simons, with whom he played during the 2022-23 season at PSV Eindhoven. This move has been ongoing throughout the summer, but Spurs appear to be nearing a deal for one of their primary targets.
The arrival of Savinho alone would not address all the needs in the attacking line, which is why the pursuit of Omar Marmoush is also significant. Tottenham requires another centre-forward, especially with Richarlison having one year left on his contract and Dominic Solanke experiencing injury issues over the last 18 months. Marmoush offers the flexibility to play centrally on his own or alongside Solanke or Richarlison.
Marmoush’s standing has reportedly declined over the past year due to playing a secondary role to Haaland at City and Mohamed Salah with Egypt. Tottenham is hopeful that Marmoush can regain his previous form if he moves to north London, given the promise of more regular playing time. The club’s single-season record for spending is from 2023-24.
Source: skysports.com
